Dental appliance



Sept. 4,- 1923.

J.` M. WILSON DENTAL APPLIANCEl Filed April 18, 1922 /ll fr, l

Patented Sept. 4, i923.

JOHN M. WILSON, or SAN nineo, CALIFORNIA.

y DENTAL ArrnIaNon.

Application led April 18, 1922. Serial No. 554,685.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN M. lViLsON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dental appliances, and has particular reference to improvements in devices for holding upper and lower dentures in place. V

In a general way my improved device is similar to existing devices of the type mentioned in that it consists essentially of a spring adapted to be bowed intermediately and secured at its respective ends to upper and lower dentures wherebyit imparts a torce acting to hold the dentures in place, It is an improvement over such existing devices, however, because it does not irritate or lacerate the tender tissues of the inner side ot the cheek; because it cannot buckle forward and thus cease to function; because in its applied position it hugs the sides of the dentures closely and occupies a minimum amount of space; because it includes a protective vovering or guard over the pivotal connection of the ends of the spring with the dentures, which acts to limit the angular movement'ot said pivotal connections and thereby maintains the device as an entirety properly in place, and because all ot the foregoing advantages are combined in a structure which is simple, inexpensive and easy to produce and apply.

My inventive idea is capable of embodiment in different mechanical structures, one of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that the structure shown is merely intended as a disclosure ot' the essential Vfeatures and novel characteristics ot' my invention in zu preferred torni and that its scope is as detined in the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views- Figure l is a side elevation showing the application of my improved device to upper and lower dentures;

Fig. 2, a detail vertical section showing the manner of connecting my improved device with the dentures;

Fig 3, an enlarged elevation of the inner 5.5 l

face of one ofthe! pivot bars and its guard;

'F ig. 4, a detail horizontalv sectionshowing the manner ,of connecting my improved i device with the dentures;

Fig. 5, lan enlarged detail perspective of one of the pivot bars;

Fig. 6, a crosssection showing the shape ot the free end portion of the vpivot bars; Fig. '7, an enlarged detail perspective-ot' oneof the guards; and v f Fig.- 8, an enlarged detail perspective of ay portion of the spring. Referring now to the drawings in" detail, it will be observed that my limproved `device includes, essentially, an elastic element l0 preferably in the nature of a coil spring which is adapted to be bowed intermediately and secured at its respective ends to upper and-lower dentures lland l2 whereby it imparts ya force acting normally to urge the dentures apart and thereby hold the same in place. Desir-ablyl two ot these flexible elements l() are provided for euch pair 'of dentures ll. a'ndl2 and they are' adaptedto besecured to the outer faces of the dentures upon opposite sides thereof as is usual in appliances ot this kind." 'Only one of the elements .i0 has been illustrated, however, as they Aare duplicates of each other and a showing and description of either, there fore, will su'tlice for-both.4

is a desirable and-convenient means of pivotally connecting the respective ends ot the spri'nglO to the dentures ll and 12, provide a. pair of bars 18, ya pair of ordinary securing screws let, and embed in each denture a nut or otherl threaded member l5. The bars '13 lare of duplicate construction and cach of them includes at one end an eye 16 having an opening through which a screw lll is adapted to be passedand threaded into a member 'L5 whereby the bars are pivotally connected to tliedentures. lVhen the bars have thus been f secured to the dentures, the coil spring is bowed intermediately and engaged at its ends over said bars.

By particular reference to Figures 6 and 8 of `the drawings it will be observed that the spring 10 in cross section is formed with a: rounded outer face and a dat inner face so that it may closely hug the dentures and thereby occupy a minimum amount-of space. lts outer face is rounded and therefore is unlikely to irritate the soft tissues of the inner tace of the cheek. The inner face ot each bar, like the spring 10, is provided with a continuons inner iiat tace and adjacent to its tree end with a rounded outer tace, while towards its'pivot end its outer tace is also flattened as shown. This construction permits snug engage-ment of the bars againstthe dentures and also snug engagement of the ends of the spring with the bars, and at the same time provides for the accommodation of guard plates 17, one ot which is adapted to be secured in covering relation to each pivot. The guard plates are in the form ot housings adapted to embrace the eyes ot the bars 13 and each includes a lian-shaped protective portion 18 adapted to overlie its related bar and hold it close to the denture thereby avoiding the free play which is usual in devices ot a like nature, the sides of said tan-shaped portion being provided with webs 19 for limiting the angular movement of the bars about their pivots. The guards may be secured in place in any desired manner, but it is preferred to utilize the screws 14 tor this purpose and to this end each guard is provided with an aperture through which a screw 14 may be passed. prior to engaging the same through the eye ot a relate-d bar 13.

From the foregoing description and drawings it is apparent that I have provided an improved dental appliance capable of accomplishing the various advantages previously outlined and while l have disclosed `the saine in association with full upper and lower sets of teeth it is manifest that its utility is not thus limited, as it may with Ylzufility be used in connection with partial dentures, removable bridge work and telescoping crowns. 1t is further more apparent that regardless ot' its use, my device as an entirety closely hugs the dentures, yet is Jfree to swing and serve its desired function, and that the guards not only protect the tissues ot the cheek from the pivots, but also, be-

cause ot the webs 19 eliminate the possibility of the spring 10 buckling forward.

1 claim 1. A de tal appliance comprising upper and lower dentures, and a Coil spring bowed interinediately and secured at its respective ends to said dentures whereby the latter normally are urged apart, the inner face of said spring` being flat thereby to lie closely against said dentures.

2, .fr dental appliance comprising upper and lower dentures, a pair of bars secured respectively to said dentures, the inner -face of each bar being hat thereby to lie closely against its associated denture1 and an intermediately bowed spring having its ends itting over and secured respectively to said bars whereby the dentures normally are urged apart, the inner face ot said spring being Hat thereby to conform in shape to said bars and to lie closely against said dentures.

3. A device for holding dentures in place including an elastic element adapted to be intermediately bowed and pivotally connected at its respective ends with upper and lower dentures, a guard covering the pivot of said flexible element with each denture, and means included in said guard to limit the angular movement of said pivotal connections.

1i. A device for holding dentures in place including a pair of bars adapted to be pivoted, rcspectively, to upper and lower dentures. an elastic clement adapted to be bowed intermediately and secured at its rcspecive ends to said bars, and a guard coverin g the pivotal connection otl each bar with its related denture, each of said guards including a 'laneshaped extension overlying its associated bar, and each extension having side walls limiting the angular movement of its associated bar about its pivot.

1n testimony whereof l hereunto atlix my signature.

JOHN M. WILSON. 

